Because, I Love You
by CaskettFan2012
Summary: One way in which Kate could say those three little words to Castle. First ever fic so let me know what you think! : I wasn't sure on rating so K to be safe :


_One way in which Kate could say those three little words to Castle._

**_Hey guys well honestly I have no idea where this idea came from, just popped into my head so I decided to write it down. I unfortunately own nothing! It all belongs to the awesomeness that is Andrew Marlowe! :) Drama filled :) _**

Kate was fuming as she entered the loft and she had no idea how she had managed to let Castle convince her to keep their plans that night and come back to his place. Dinner and a movie had sounded appealing when dealing with paperwork but that was before Castle had purposely endangered himself to protect her and she was scared to death thinking he had been shot.

**_Flashback _**

_The majority of Kate's morning was spent filling out paperwork with the boys as Castle sat diligently by her side pretending to play angry birds while casting sideway glances at her and keeping her supply of coffee constant. With the day starting relatively boring and easy Kate and Castle had decided that they would head back to his loft after work for dinner and a movie since they had spent little time together last week with the onslaught of cases they had received. Just before dinner they got the call of a young woman murdered in her apartment and fortunately for the detectives the case was fairly open and shut, the ex-boyfriend had strangled her through jealousy and had even left DNA evidence so all that was left to do was go pick the suspect up. This was where the nightmare began for Kate. _

_They entered the building as usual with her taking the lead, followed by the boys and Castle at the back but when they finally entered the apartment the guy had been ready for them and was in the back room when Kate entered alone "NYPD, surrender your gun!" _

_"I don't think so cutie, how about you put your gun down, let me walk out of here and I won't blow your pretty little head off." _

_"You're not going anywhere Mr. Roberts so why don't you just put your gun down and come with me quietly so no-one has to get hurt." _

_As Kate was trying to get Mr. Roberts to calm the boys had taken stance in the living room as the suspect began to back her up to the door becoming more and more edgy. _

_Then it all happened so fast the suspect raised his gun and shouted "Let me leave now or I'll shoot!" Hearing this Castle was spurred into action as he ran through the door and pushed Kate to the floor just as the guy fired. Three shots were fired and two hit Castle. _

_Kate looked up in horror as her partner and boyfriend fell to the floor and felt her eyes filled with tears "Castle!" _

_In her state of panic Kate barely registered the concerned yells of her colleagues telling her to get down as she sat up and crawled to Castle. She was in such shock that she had not even noticed whether it was Ryan or Esposito who had taken the suspect down. _

_"Castle" she whispered and he was looking at her but was clearly having trouble breathing. She looked down at the vest he was wearing and saw two holes, then slipped her hand carefully between the vest and his shirt checking for entry wounds and felt a huge surge of happiness and relief seep into her when she felt none. She sighed and looked him in the eyes letting a few tears fall freely down her face "Dammit Castle what the hell was that! You could have been shot!" _

_Castle had managed to return from his dazed state and sat up slightly "Better me than you! _

_The anger spiked between them. "You think I want you to get shot huh, Castle?! What kind of idiot are you? This is not a joke, this is life or death. _

_Right now the boys got very uncomfortable and muttered that they were going to go call it in and would wait outside for them. Neither Kate nor Castle acknowledged them as they left. In the living room Ryan turned to Esposito "Hey Espo, do you think mom and dad will kiss and make up?" He gave him a cheeky smile. _

_"I don't know bro, I'm just glad that we got out of there before things too heated. With the tension in that room I think it's more likely she'll sock him one before kissing him for that don't you. They both laughed at this, thinking of how Beckett could drop Castle in a heartbeat if she wanted to but also that she never would. _

_Later... _

**Back at the Loft. **

Rick unlocked the front door and opened and Kate walked briskly in still clearly furious with the day's events. It didn't help that Castle had been trying to discuss what had happened the whole way home after she asked him to leave it alone.

"Look Castle I just don't want to talk about it ok?! What you did was just stupid and downright irresponsible! You didn't stop to think about what would happen if you were shot did you?, there are a lot more people that depend on you than me Castle!" By now the rage building within Kate had reached dangerous levels and her and Castle were having a standoff, stood across from each other in the living room.

Hearing the commotion Alexis Castle had come out of her room and resided at the top of the stairs, neither adult had noticed her but she still hid round the wall as she continued listening to the conversation. She almost felt bad for eavesdropping, especially since she had stopped by unannounced but she wanted to know what had gotten her dad and Detective Beckett so angry since they had seemed happier than ever in their partnership recently.

"Are you serious Kate? There are lots of people that need you too! Your dad, the guys, Lanie and me"... he whispered the last word and she was softening until he finished his sentence "besides what done is done and I'm fine so just relax."

At this she felt the anger bubbling again "Just relax?! See Castle this is why I can't relax! You're not even taking this seriously are you? Kate looked him right in the eyes but when he still didn't speak she continued "I'm the cop Castle not you, I should be the one getting shot in the vest dammit!

Castle looked pained and he stepped towards Kate speaking with his voice significantly quieter and softer "Kate I am sorry but I couldn't just stand there and watch you get shot again."

Kate moved away from his hand heaving a sigh and running her fingers through her hair "Dammit Castle this isn't about me, it's about you! You just don't get it do you? You have a mother and a daughter that depends on you! You can't just chuck your life away!" Her voice had been rising until she was shouting the last sentence at him.

Castle felt frustration building within him as his voice rose as he harshly replied "No Kate you know what I don't get it, because you have never reacted like this before! How many life and death situations have we been in huh? You have never been this worked up about them before so why don't you tell me what has changed Kate?"

"What has changed? You've got to be kidding me right? What has changed is we have never had such a close call before when the bullets flew and you fell to the ground Castle I thought that was it and I was finally going to lose you." Kate felt the tears well in her eyes "If it hadn't been for the vest Castle you would..." Kate couldn't continue her sentence as her voice broke and she let a few tears fall.

"Oh Kate..." He said walking round the coffee table to get to her. "I'm so sorry, you're not going to lose me I promise."

Kate put out a hand to stop him from coming and holding her as she wiped away the tears and released her lingering anger "No actually Castle you can't promise that, which is why I think you should stop shadowing me." She had been building up to saying this to him since the incident but looking at the pained expression on his face was heartbreaking for Kate "I'm sorry too Castle but don't come into the precinct tomorrow because I will just send you away" she muttered.

Castles mouth gaped open as he registered the words she just whispered but he was even more shocked when he realised she had walked the other way round the couch and was heading towards the door. He hadn't registered when she said she should be going and turned to stop her just as she reached for the door knob. "Kate wait!" He spurred forward and pushed on the front door preventing her from opening it."

"CASTLE GET OFF!" Beckett seethed. She could feel more tears building up and she just wanted to get home.

Castle however knew why she was trying to run and he wasn't going to let that happen. "No Kate you can't run away from this, from us! You said you were in this and I believe you meant it so please just talk to me!"

Kate spun now with fury burning in her eyes "Talk to you Castle? You wanna talk? Fine! Let's talk then. Let's talk about how you were being totally irresponsible and ran out to take a bullet that was meant for me huh, Castle. Me!

Castle's anger had now reached its peak and he threw his hands to either side of her head on the front door as he spoke "Kate you don't understand!" He seethed "I couldn't watch you get hurt again and I wouldn't change a thing and I'm also not going to be giving up on us, our relationship or our partnership!"

"No Castle you don't understand I can't be the reason you die!" She shouted as she now pushed at Castle's chest to make him take a step back so she could have some breathing space. "Dammit Castle, I can't and I won't be the person that has to come to your house and explain to your mother and daughter, the people that love you that I let you get killed." More tears had spilled down her face at this point.

"You wouldn't be the reason I'm dead Kate. I'm a grown man and can make my own decisions!" He threw his hands up in the air in frustration but seeing her tears he looked her right in the eyes and softened his voice again "Kate none of what happened today is your fault." He placed his hand on the side of her face and gently leaned in to kiss her but she had other ideas.

She turned her head and pushed on Castle again "I can't!"

"Why not Kate?" He was absolutely furious by this point. It had felt like they had been arguing for hours but in reality it had only been a few minutes.

"Because I love you!" She shouted straight at him. To say she was shocked was an understatement as she finally registered the words she had just said out loud. _Dammit _she thought, _this is so not how I wanted to tell him. _

Castle however took Kate completely off guard as he pushed her straight back against the front door and his lips found hers with such passion it left her breathless. Despite her thoughts that she shouldn't she immediately began to respond.

Castle pulled away far too quickly for Kate's liking "You never said that before." He stated quietly as he began to wipe away the tears streaming freely down her face.

She hung her head on his shoulder "Your shocked?" She asked as she played lightly with his collar.

"No I knew, I mean I hoped" He smirked as she lightly smacked his arm and he finally got a small smile out of her since the incident. "I just wasn't expecting you to say it yet" Castle shot her his dazzling 1000 watt smile.

"Well honestly neither was I, at least not like that." She laughed. "I do mean it though Castle."

He rubbed his hand up and down her back "I know Kate. I love you too."

She was gripping Castle like he would fade away at any moment. "Come on, you're not going home alone." He whispered and placed a kiss to her head as he silently led her to the bedroom.

At the top of stairs Alexis Castle stood there perplexed by everything that happened but her face remained stoic. She couldn't believe that Detective Beckett had just told her dad she loves him, she now realised why they had been so happy recently and suddenly a huge grin bloomed on her face as she headed back to her room. She knew her dad would be more fine.

**Okay definately nervous now! First ever fic so hope you like it! Please R&R! and please leave constructive criticism if you have any so I can improve my writing :) Thanks very muchly **

**CaskettFan2012 xx :) xx **


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